Micromanipulator



mu-041 I I E7 145 V R 2 Q 7 60 9 4 05 28, 1956 K. FRISCHMANN 2,760,405

MICROMANIPULATOR Q Filed May 5 1953 Fig/5'1 65 null Arryk United StatesPatent O MICROMANIPULATOR Karl Frischmann, Wetzlar-Garbenheim, Germany,assignor to Ernest Leitz G. m. b. H., Wetzlar, Germany Application May5, 1953, Serial No. 353,060

Claims priority, application Germany May 5, 1952 8 Claims. (Cl. 88-49)The present invention relates to micromanipulators, that is, to devicesfor the precise manipulation of tools or other instruments within a verysmall field.

One object of the present invention is to provide a micromanipulatorcapable of translating manual operations of an operating lever into verysmall movements which are accurate functions of the magnitude of themovement of the operating lever.

Another object of the invention is to provide a micromanipulator, thecontrol parts of which are relatively large and which therefore can beeasily manufactured and assembled.

A further object of the invention is to provide a micromanipulator inwhich the tool moves substantially in the same direction as theoperating handle, although the tool movement occurs on a greatly reducedscale as compared to that of the handle.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a micromanipulatorin which universal movements of the tool in one plane are obtained bythe combination of a rectilinearly slidable tool support element with arotatable tool support element. 7

A still further object of the invention is to provide a micromanipulatorin which a handle for controlling universal movements of the tool in ahorizontal plane is disposed in the neighborhood of a control knobpermitting fine adjustment of the tool in a vertical direction so thatboth the operating handle controlling the universal movement in ahorizontal plane and the control knob governing vertical movements canbe operated with one hand.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a micromanipulatorwhich can be operated smoothly and easily and with maximum precision.

These and other objects, which will appear more clearly as thespecification proceeds, are accomplished by the arrangement andcombination of elements set forth in the following detailed description,defined in the appended claims and illustratively exemplified in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a micromanipulator according to thepresent invention showing certain parts in vertical section; and

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the micromanipulator according to Fig. 1.

In the figures, 11 denotes a hollow base formed with two vertical tracks12 and 13. Mounted on the track 12 by means of balls 14 is a verticalslide 15 supported by a roller 16 rotatably mounted on a projecting arm17 of the slide 15. The roller 16, and with it the slide 15, are carriedby an eccentric 18 forming part of a worm gear 19 rotatable on a shaft20 extending transversely through and mounted in the walls of the base11. A worm 21 operated by a fine adjustment knob 22 serves to rotate theworm gear 19 and eccentric 18 for fine adjustment of the slide 15 invertical direction. A second slide 23 is mounted by means of balls 24 onthe vertical track 13 and is provided with a rack 25 engaged PatentedAug. 28, 1956 by a pinion 26. The pinion 26 is keyed to a shaft 28 Iwhich is rotatably supported in a forked arm 27 of the slide 15 andwhich can be operated by means of knurled knobs 29 provided on eitherside of the base 11 for coarse vertical adjustment of the slide 23relative to the slide 15.

The slide 23 carries a bracket 30 which supports above the base 11 atable 31. A substantially plate-shaped tool holder element 32 is mountedon the table 31 and guided thereon for substantially rectilinearmovement in a horizontal plane from left to right or vice versa, as seenin the figures. At its right hand end, as seen in Fig. l, the toolholder element 32 is provided with a projecting eyelet 33 for a purposeto be explained later. A plate-shaped bracket 34 extends verticallyupward from the table 31 at substantially right angles to the directionof movement of the tool holder element 32. Two compression springs 35are arranged between the bracket 34 and the right hand end of the toolholder' element 32 to urge the element 32 toward the left as shown inFigs. 1 and 2.

A second tool holder element 36 is mounted for rotary movement in ahorizontal plane on the upper surface of the tool holder element 32 bymeans of a pivot pin 37 supported in the tool holder element 32. Thetool holder element 36 is urged in counterclockwise direction, as seenin Fig. 2, by means of a spring 38, one end of which is secured by meansof pins 39 to the rotary tool holder element 36 while its other end isattached to pins 40 provided on'the tool holder element 32. The rotarytool holder element 36 has upwardly projecting lateral flanges 41 whichextend substantially in the direction of movement of the first toolholder element 32 and serve as guide tracks for a third tool holderelement 42 mounted slidably on the rotary tool holder element 36. A rack43 on the lower side of the tool holder element 42 engages a pinion 44mounted in a cavity of the rotary tool holder element 36 on a rotaryshaft 45 projecting laterally from the element 36 and terminating in aknurled control knob 46 for coarse adjustment of the tool holder element42 relative to the tool holder element 36 substantially in the directionof movement of the tool holder element 32. The tool holder element 42carries a tool clamp 47 in which a tool 48 may be mounted. On its righthand end, as seen in the figures, the table 31 is provided with a boss49, the upper hollow surface of which constitutes an upwardly openbearing 50 of spherical configuration. On its right hand side thebearing 50 is provided with a vertical slot 51.

A ball 52 lies the bearing 50 and carries an operating lever including ashort portion 53 projecting axially from the ball through the slot 51and a long, downwardly projecting, portion 54 terminating in anoperating handle 55 located in the vicinity of the control knob 22provided for the fine vertical adjustment of the table 31.

As will be seen, the operating handle 55 can be manipulated to rotatethe ball 52 either about a first axis thereof coinciding with the axisof the short portion 53 of the operating lever, by swinging of thehandle 55 as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, or about its horizontalaxis extending at right angles to this first axis, by up and downmovements of the handle 55 as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1accompanied by up and down movements of the short arm 53 of theoperating lever in the slot 51. One can combine both movements.

A screw 56 is mounted in the top portion of the ball 52 and projectssubstantially vertical therefrom along an axis at right angles to bothaxes of rotation of the ball. A hollow member, generally designated bythe reference numeral 57, comprises a nut portion 58, threaded on thescrew 56 and vertically adjustable thereon, and a depending skirtportion 59 which surrounds the ball 52 and the short portion 53 of theoperating handle at a distance and which has an outer surfacecorresponding to a zone of a sphere having a diameter considerablygreater than that of ball 52, said zone extending equally on oppositesides of a center plane of the sphere of which it is a part.

By adjustment of the hollow member 57 along the screw 56, the sphericalsurface can be adjusted to any desired eccentricity relative to the ball52 and it can be secured in any adjusted position by means of a lock nut60.

A feeler or cam follower is provided to cooperate with the portion ofthe spherical surface of the hollow member 57 facing the bracket 34 andcomprises a feeler disc 61 and a stem 62 supported in and slidablyprojecting through a bore in the bracket 34. On the side of the bracket34 facing toward the tool holder elements, the bracket 34 is providedwith two projecting ears 63 carry ing a pivot 64 supporting a two-armedlever 65. The upper end of lever 65 is in contact with the end of thefeeler stem 62 projecting from the bracket 34, while the lower end oflever 65 engages the eyelet 33 of the tool holder element 32. Since thetool holder element 32 is pressed by the springs 35 away from thebracket 34, the upper end of lever 65 is urged into contact with feelerstem 62 and thus biases feeler disc 61 into tangential contact withspherical surface of hollow member 57.

A curved arm 66 is integral with the right hand end of the rotary toolholder element 36 and projects upwardly therefrom toward and about halfway past they hollow member 57. Mounted in the free end of arm 66 is asecond feeler comprising a feeler disc 67 and a threaded stem 68 screwedthrough a tapped bore in the arm 66 and terminating in a knurled knob69. The feeler 67, 68 can be adjusted relative to the arm 66 by turningof the knob 69 and can be secured in any adjusted position by means of alock nut 70. It will be seen that the spring 38, which urges the rotarytool holder element 36 in counterclockwise direction, tends to press thefeeler disc 67 into tangential contact with a portion of the sphericalsurface of hollow member 57 which is displaced by about 90 relative tothe spherical surface portion contacted by feeler disc 61.

The device operates as follows:

After coarse adjustment of the tool 48 in vertical direction by means ofthe control knob 29 and in horizontal direction by means of the controlknob 46, the device is ready for micromanipulation of the tool undermicroscopic observation. Vertical fine adjustments are made by means ofthe fine adjustment knob 22. Horizontal micromovements substantially inthe direction of the movement of the tool holder element 32 are etfectedby swinging the handle 55 upwardly and downwardly in the plane of thepaper as shown by the arrows in Fig. l. The resulting movements of ball52 and hollow member 57 are transmitted to the feeler disc 61 at agreatly reduced rate in function of the adjusted eccentricity of thespherical surface of the skirt 59 relative to ball .52. This motion istransmitted through the feeler stem 62 and lever 65 to the tool holderelement 32. When the center of sphere 57 lies above the center of sphere52 the movement of the handle 55 to the right tends to move the tool 48toward the right against the action of spring 35 while movement ofthehandle 55 toward the left permits corresponding movement of the toolholder element 32 and tool 48 toward the left under the action ofsprings 35.

Movements of the handle 55 at right angles to the plane of the paper asshown in Fig. 1, on the other hand, cause a displacement of the feelerdisc 67 at a greatly reduced rate in function of the adjustedeccentricity of the spherical surface of skirt 59 relative to the ball52. This reduced movement is transmitted through the feeler shaft 68 andarm 66 to the rotary tool holder element 36 and causes it to. swingabout its pivot 37. Due to this movement of the tool holder element 36,the tip of the tool 48 passes through a relatively small arc of a circleof comparatively great diameter so that its actual movement can beconsidered as rectilinear and at right angles to the rectilinearmovement resulting from displacements of tool holder element 32.

What I claim is:

1. A micromanipulator comprising a base, a first slide ember verticallydisplaceable on said base, fine adjusting means including a firstcontrol knob for micrometrically raising or lowering said first slidemember relative to said base, a second slide member verticallydisplaceable on said base, coarse adjusting means for raising orlowering said second slide member relative to said first slide member, ahorizontal table carried by said second slide member above said base, afirst carriage rectilinearly slidable on said table in a horizontalplane, an intermediate member mounted on said first carriage for pivotalmovements relative thereto about a vertical axis, a second carriagerectilinearly slidable on said intermediate member substantially in thedirection of the movement of said first carriage, a tool clamp on saidsecond carriage, coarse adjusting means for shifting said secondcarriage, back and forth relative to said intermediate member, an openconcave spherical bearing rigid with said table and defining incross-section a circular are, said bearing being provided on one sidethereof with a vertical slot, a ball fitted into and retained in saidbearing, a manipulating lever for said ball having a short portionextending axially from said ball through said vertical slot in thebearing and a downwardly extending portion terminating in a handle inthe vicinity of said control knob, a screw projecting upwardly from saidball along an axis extending at substantially right angles to the shortportion of the operating lever, a hollow member including a nut threadedon said screw and a depending skirt portion surrounding said ball andthe upper part of the operating lever at a distance and having an outersurface corresponding to a central zone of a sphere of a diameterconsiderably greater than that of said ball, means for locking saidhollow member in any adjusted position on said screw, a bracket on saidtable, a first follower having a stem passing through and axiallyslidable in said bracket and a flat follower disc adjacent a' part ofsaid spherical outer surface of said skirt, a two-armed lever pivoted tosaid bracket for movement about an axis at right angles to the directionof movement of said first carriage, one arm of said lever engaging aportion of said first carriage and its other arm cooperating with thefree end of the stem of said first follower, means biasing said firstcarriage away from said bracket and urging said follower disc of saidfirst follower into tangential contact with the spherical surface ofsaid skirt, an arm rigid with said intermediate member and extendingtherefrom toward said hollow member, a second follower having a stemadjustably supported by said arm with its axis extending atsubstantially right angles to the stem of said first follower and afollower disc adjacent a part of the spherical skirt surface displacedby about with respect to the part of the spherical skirt surfacecontacted by said first follower disc, and means biasing saidintermediate member for pivotal movement about its axis in one directionso as to urge said second follower disc into tangential contact with theadjacent part of the spherical skirt surface.

2. A micromanipulator comprising a base, a first slide member verticallydisplaceable on said base, fine adjusting means including a firstcontrol knob for micrometrically raising or lowering said first slidemember relative to said base, a second slide member verticallydisplaceable on said base, coarse adjusting means for raising orlowering said second slide member relative to said first slide member, ahorizontal table carried by said second slide member above said base, afirst carriage rectilinearly slidable on said table in a horizontalplane,

an intermediate member mounted on said first carriage for pivotalmovements relative thereto about a vertical axis, a second carriagerectilinearly slidable on said intermediate member substantially in thedirection of the movement of said first carriage, a tool clamp on saidsecond carriage, coarse adjusting means for shifting said secondcarriage back and forth relative to said intermediate member, an openconcave spherical bearing rigid with said table and defining incross-section a circular arc, said bearing being provided with avertical slot, a ball fitted into and retained in said bearing, amanipulating lever for said ball having a short portion extendingaxially from said ball through said vertical slot in the bearing and adownwardly extending portion terminating in a handle in vicinity of saidcontrol knob, a screw projecting upwardly from said ball, a hollowmember including a nut threaded on said screw and a depending skirtportion surrounding said ball and having an outer surface correspondingto a central zone of a sphere ofa diameter considerably greater thanthat of said ball, means for locking said hollow member in any adjustedposition on said screw, a bracket on said table, a first follower havinga stem passing through and axially slidable in said bracket and a flatfollower disc adjacent a part of said spherical outer surface of saidskirt, a two-armed lever pivoted to said bracket for movement about anaxis at right angles to the direction of movement of said firstcarriage, one arm of said lever engaging a portion of said firstcarriage and its other arm cooperating with the free end of the stern ofsaid first follower, means biasing said first carriage away from saidbracket and urging said follower disc of said first follower intotangential contact with the spherical surface of said skirt, and armrigid with said intermediate member and extending therefrom toward saidhollow member, a second follower having a stem adjustably supported bysaid arm with its axis extending at substantially right angles to thestem of said first follower and a follower disc adjacent a part of thespherical skirt surface displaced by about 90 with respect to the partof the spherical skirt surface contacted by said first follower disc,and means biasing said intermediate member for pivotal movement aboutits axis in one direction so as to urge said second follower disc intotangential contact with the adjacent part of the spherical skirtsurface.

3. In a micromanipulator of the type having vertically and horizontallymovable supports, the combination with the vertically movable support ofL ggLhQldfl. carried by said support for substantially universalmovement in a predetermined plane, said tool holder comprising a firstslide mounted upon the support for longitudinal movement thereon; aplate mounted for lateral movement on said slide; a second slide mountedon said plate for longitudinal movement with respect thereto, said toolholder being supported on said second slide; a spherical bearing on saidsupport; a spherical member carried by said bearing and an operatinglever therefor to move said sphere in any direction; a second sphericalmember supported by said first sphere and movable therewith; said secondspherical member being hollow and enclosing said first spherical member,said first spherical member having means for adjustably supporting saidsecond spherical member with respect to the first spherical member tovary the degree of eccentricity between them; a plurality of camfollowers urged into contact with spaced portions of said secondspherical member, one of said cam followers being operatively connectedto said first slide to transmit thereto movement to said tool holder inone direction, and a second cam follower being operatively connected tosaid plate to transmit movement to said holder in a different direction,upon operation of said operating lever in a corresponding direction.

4. A micromanipulator according to claim 3 in which the bearing for saidfirst spherical member has a plurality of surfaces in contact with saidmember, said surfaces being formed in the arc of a circle generatedsubstantially on the radius of said sphere.

5. A micromanipulator according to claim 3 in which said first slide hasa socket extending from one end thereof, with a lever connecting thefirst of said followers with said socket.

6. A micromanipulator according to claim 3 in which said plate has anarm connecting it to the second of said followers. 7

7. A micromanipulator according to claim 3 in which said cam followersare resiliently urged into contact with said second spherical member.

8. A micromanipulator according to claim 3 in which said first slide isresiliently urged longitudinally of its support, a bracket is mountedbetween said slide and second sphere, the first of said followers issupported in said bracket and a lever is pivoted to said bracket tooperatively connect said follower with said first slide.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,828,460 Emerson Oct. 20, 1931 1,987,733 Fonbrune Ian. 15, 19352,003,387 Ott June 4, 1935 2,585,120 Harrington Feb. 12, 1952 FOREIGNPATENTS 653,759 Great Britain May 23, 1951

